The increasing use of portable computing appliances means that a user may store and work on data files on a fixed desktop computer at his workstation on site, and take a personal computing appliance such as a portable or palm top computer with him for use off-site. Data may be transferred between the desktop appliance and the personal computer appliance either by a close range infrared (I.R.) or other optical link, or a cable when the two are in close proximity, or via a modem link when the user has the personal computing appliance with him off site. The remote access provided by electronic appliances allows greater flexibility and convenience.
Appliances contain built in communications ability, such as infrared or very short range radio, which allows direct short distance communication. However, communications between appliances at a distance presents heightened challenges to users. Different communication standards, capabilities, and interfaces for plain old telephone systems (POTS), cellular telephones, wireless local area networks (LANs), and wide area networks (WANs) add complexity to individual appliances to manage the broad range of connections.
Accordingly, a need exists for a simplified appliance communications manager that allows direct appliance-to-appliance communication regardless of the complexity of establishing the logical communication connection—either for short- or long-range communications.